Pneumatic-tube carrier.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

M. ANDERSON. PNEUMATIC TUBEGARRIER.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 7, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

we uoRms puns coy, PHOTO-LING, WASHINGTON. u. c.

Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT! OFFICE.-

MAURIOE ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PN EU MATIC-TUBE CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 742,819, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed February '7, 1902. Serial No. 93,017. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAURICE ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic-Tube Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic-tube carriers, and has for its object to provide a consecutive-discharge device therefor adapted to discharge the carriers consecutively.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view of the discharge end of one of the pneumatic tubes. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In the use of pneumatic-carrier systems it is exceedingly desirable to provide means so that the carriers are received by the cashier or other receiving operator in the proper order; and one of the objects of my invention is to provide the ordinary pneumatic device with such means.

Referring now to the drawings, I have only shown the end A of one of the pneumatic tubes, it being understood that such tubes lead to the various parts of the buildingfand may be arranged in any desired manner.

The tube A is provided with a suitable offset, so that its end is free to discharge the carrier and it is yet properly connected in the pneumatic system. Any desired means for this purpose may be used.

As herein shown, there is associated with the end of the tube A a tube B, which is out of line therewith and which is connected with the tube A in any desired manner, as by means of the coupling 0. The tube B is to permit the air to pass from the tube A through suitable .openings A therein and is connected up in a proper manner for this purpose.

To the end of the tube A, I attach a piece D, adapted to be used as a valve-support, and to this piece is connected a valve E. I provide some means for arranging the parts so that the hinge of the valve E is a sufiicient distance at one side of the opening of the tube A in order to prevent it from being injured by the carriers passing through the tube A.

As shown in the drawings, this is accom plished by providing the support D with a projection D, which extends laterally. This projection D may extend in any suitable direction, depending upon the installation in connection with which my device is used.

The valve E is connected to the projection D in any desired manner-as, for example, by the hinge D ''the connection thusbeing at one side of the opening of the tube A and out of the way, so that it cannot be injured by the carriers. This valve may be provided with a retracting device-=as, for example, the spring D so that it will normally be held closed.

Below the mouth of the pipe A is a holding device or tube F, into which the carriers are received, the tube being of such size that they are received one upon the other, so as to be removed at the opening F in their proper order--that is, in the order received. This part F is supported in any desired manner and, as shown, is connected with the support D by means of the thin pieces F leaving an open space between the tube A and the part F.

A suitable stop is provided for the valve E, so as to limit its motion. Said stop, as shown, consists of the device I-I, connected to the part F, but disconnected or free from the part A or support D. In other words, there is a space between the end of the stop H and the support D. I prefer to arrange this stop so that it is adjustable, thus permitting adj ustment of the throw of the valve. Any suitable means for this purpose may be used. As shown, for example, in Fig. 3, the stop H is provided at its end with an angular piece H, provided with one or more grooves H through which pass suitable holding devices. By loosening these holding devices it will be seen that the stop can be moved back or forward, so as to adjust its position.

I have described in detail a particular construction embodying my invention; but it is of course evident that the parts may be varied in many particulars and some of the parts omitted and others used with parts notshown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the installation of pneumatic-tube-carrier systems space is generally of the greatest importance. The tube B is therefore of necessity placed very near to the tube A and the tube F. If now the valve is hinged on the side nearest the tube B, the hinge is so close to the opening that the impact of the carriers on the valve soon destroys it. It will be seen that by having the hinge thus close to the tube A the impact of the carrier. acts almost directly upon the hinge and tends to tear it loose. If, however, the projection D is used, I am enabled to throw the hinge to one side, so that the carrier strikes the valve at a distance from the hinge, and hence the tendency is to open the valve and not to tear it loose at the hinge.

The supporting part D, I prefer to make a separate part andattach it to the tube A,

said support being therefore detachably attached.

The use and operation of myinvention are as follows: When the system is in operation, the air is passing from the tube A through the opening or openings A into the tube B. This produces a suction at the mouth of the pipe A, and the valve E is therefore held in its proper closed position. When a carrier passes along the tube A, it strikes the valve E, so as to open it, throwing said valve against the stop H, and then passes from the pipe A into the part or tube F. The carrier strikes the bottom of the part F and is then opposite the opening F, so that it can be easily removed. When the valve E is open, the air is free to escape between the thin pieces F and hence the valve is free to operate and the carrier free to enter the part F. After the carrier-has passed, the spring closes the valve, and the suction keeps it tightly closed until another carrier strikes it. The next carrier will open the Valve, as before explained, and will-pass into the tube F on top of the first carrier. The other carriers must follow in this order, and hence it will be seen that they must be removed by the operator in the order in which they are received. The tube F may be of any desired length, depending upon the rapidity with which the carriers are received. The operator then removes them with sufficient rapidity to prevent the entire tube being filled. When the valve E is struck by the carrier, it flies open and is stopped by the stop H, and the throw of the valve may be regulated by adjusting this stop. It will thus be seen that the connection between the valve and' its support is at one side of the end of the tube A and out of the way, so that it is not injured by the carriers.

I claim- 1. The combination with a pneumatic tube, of an offset, said tube being open at one side of the ofiset so that the carrier may be discharged, a valve associated with the opening in the tube so as to normally close it, a receiving part below said valve, said receiving part connected therewith by thin strips or pieces and a stop for limiting the throw of the valve.

2. The combination with a pneumatic tube,

.of an offset, said tube being open at one side of the ofiset so that the carrier may be discharged, a valve associated with the opening in the tube so as to normally close it, a receiving part below said valve, said receiving part connected therewith by thin strips or pieces and a stop for limiting the throw of the valve.

3. Aconsecutivedeviceforpneumatic-tube systems, comprising an ofiset associated with the discharge end of the tube through which the air passes, a supporting part connected to the end of the tube below the offset, said supporting part provided with a laterallyprojecting part, a valve for covering the open end of the tube opening away from said oifset, said valve movably connected to said 0&- set and at one side of the discharge-opening so as to be a safe distance therefrom, and a receiving device below said tube for holding the carriers in the order in which they are received.

4. A pneumatic-tube device comprising a tube formed so that a portion is out of line with the main tube, an opening in the tube at this point through which the carriers are discharged, a detachable supporting-piece associated with this opening and a valve connected with said supporting-piece and a receiving device below said tube supported by said detachable supporting-piece.

5. A pneumatic-tube device comprising a tube formed so that a portion is out of line with the main tube, an opening in the tube at this point through which the carriers are discharged, a detachable supporting-piece associated with this opening and a valve connected with said supporting-piece, the supporting-piece provided at the side opposite the offsetwith a laterally-projecting part ex tending to one side of the'opening, the valve .being connected to the laterally-projecting part.

6. A pneumatic-tube device comprising a tube formed so that a portion is out of line with the main tube, an opening in the tube at this point through which the carriers are discharged, a detachable supporting-piece associated with this opening and a valve connected, with said supporting-piece, and an adjustable stop for limiting the throw of the valve.

7. A pneumatic-tube device comprising a tube formed so that a portion is out of line with the main tube, an opening in the tube at this point through which the carriers are discharged, a detachable supporting-piece associated with this opening and a valve connected with said supporting-piece, a receiving part below the valve in which the carriers are consecutively received, said receiving part supported by said detachable supportingpiece, and an open space between said receiving part and the opening in the tube.

. 8. A pneumatic-tube device, comprising a tube formed so that a. portion is out of line with the main tube, an opening in the tube at this point through which the carriers are said tube connected with said detachable discharged, a detachable supporting-piece supporting-piece so as to be held in place to associated with said opening and provided thereby. with a laterally-projecting part extending 5 outwardly away from the portion of the tube MAURICE ANDERSON bent out of line, and a valve connected with Witnesses: said laterally-projecting part so as to open DONALD M. CARTER, outwardly, and a receiving device below HOMER L. KRAFT. 

